‘Mamma Mia 2’ Star Amanda Seyfried Says Sequel Is Better Than The Original

When it was announced last May that Mamma Mia would be getting a sequel, some fans were not too thrilled with the news, thinking it would be impossible to live up to the original. Amanda Seyfried, however, promised ABBA fans that Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again will be “much better” than its predecessor.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Amanda Seyfried admitted that she, too, had some reservations about doing Mamma Mia 2.

“Truthfully, when they were like, ‘We’re making Mamma Mia 2,’ I was like, ‘That’s going to be terrible.’ But it’s not! It’s amazing,” she said.

Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again follows the story of Donna (played by Meryl Streep in the first film) when she was younger. Learning Donna’s backstory is what actually made the sequel better according to Amanda.

“Of course I want to know more about Donna. She’s effervescent and inspired and amazing and has such a spirit. Meryl brought such light to this character and then you see Lily [James] playing Donna, and it’s seamless. The movie’s better than the original because there’s a depth to it that only comes from time.”

During the interview, the actress was all praises for the new additions to the cast, especially Lily James, who plays the younger Donna in flashbacks. According to her, the Cinderella star did an outstanding job with the character.

“As soon as you see Lily on screen, you’re like, ‘Oh my God, that’s Donna! I’m seeing Donna when she was wild and young and free, and she has the essence that Meryl brought to it. And it’s kind of extraordinary,” Amanda shared.

She also added that she had a “better time” filming the sequel than she did with the first movie. Although it has been 10 years since they filmed for the original Mamma Mia adaptation, Amanda felt like it was coming back home to family and friends.

Just like its predecessor, the sequel will feature a score of the popular ABBA songs, including “Angel Eyes,” as well as a few more fan favorites from the first film. Although she refuses to reveal more spoilers, Amanda hints there will be a lot of “new stuff” fans haven’t seen before.

Earlier this month, Lily James confirmed on Instagram that they have finally finished shooting for Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again.

“That. Is. A. Wrap. This was the happiest most wonderful job. I loved it all. And everyone. Big up Mamma Mia 2. Crew. Cast. Abba. Love you,” she captioned the photo.

Apart from Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep, all the original cast members, including Julie Walters, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan, and Dominic Cooper, will be back for the sequel. New additions to the cast also include Cher (Donna’s mother), as well as Jeremy Irvine and Hugh Skinner, who will be playing younger versions of Sam (Brosnan) and Harry (Firth), respectively.

Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again premieres July 20, 2018.